Durban FilmMart Institute announces official projects

The 2023 Durban FilmMart (DFM), Africa’s premier coproduction and finance market, has selected 28 projects for its Pitch and Finance Forum. Under the theme African Constellations, the 14th DFM takes place from 21 – 24 July 2023 as a 4-day physical event in Durban, South Africa.  

The Pitch and Finance Forum functions as a crucial platform for filmmakers to connect with both local and global broadcasters, financiers, streamers, sales agents and producers, garnering the essential support and collaborations required to bring projects in development to completion and reach screens big and small.  

Commenting on the selection of the 2023 projects, Director of the DFMI, Magdalene Reddy says, “Africa offers an abundance of extraordinary narratives as is evident from the remarkable range of subjects explored in this year’s slate of projects. African filmmakers are broadening the scope of cinema and offering fresh perspectives to audiences worldwide. We are pleased with the calibre and number of submissions received this year, which is testament to the creativity and ever-evolving expertise of our continent’s filmmakers.”

Official Project Selection

FICTION FEATURES

Big Tree (Uganda) – Producer: Flavia Mary Bukojja and Director: Dilman Dila

Coconut (South Africa) – Producer: Bongiwe Selane, Dineo Lusenga and Director: Karabo Lediga

Every Stitch a Lonely Thread (South Africa) – Producer: Tiny Mungwe and Director: Jannous Nkululeko Aukema

Graft (Zimbabwe) – Producer: Sue-Ellen Chitunya and Director: Naishe Nyamubaya

Granny Lee (South Africa) – Producers: Shant Joshi, Roelof Storm, Tshepiso Chikapa Phiri and Director: Gabe Gabriel, Ian Gabriel 

Kahawa Black (Black Coffee) (Kenya) – Producer: Juliana Kabua and Director: Esteri Tebandeke

Nomvelo and the Wolf (South Africa) – Producer: Leanne Gail Kumalo and Director: Lindokuhle Langa

Pharming (South Africa) – Producer: Meren Reddy, Luke Rous and Director: Joshua Rous

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Cirta (Tunisia) – Producer: Olfa Ben Achour and Director: Saif Chida

Djeliya, Memory of Manding (Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Sénégal) – Producer: Mamounata Nikièma and Director: Boubacar Sangaré

Eaglette – A Superstar Erased (South Africa) – Producer: Thandi Davids and Director: Beverley Ditsie

Flying Like a Bird (Morocco) – Producer: Hicham Falah and Director: El Mahdi Lyoubi

Foreign (Ivory Coast) – Producer: Laurent Bitty and Director: Joël Akafou

In My Father’s House (Morocco) – Producer: Merieme Addou and Director: Rachida Elgarni

The Circuit (Cameroon) – Producer: Martinel Nemalieu and Director: Arice Siapi

Wildfire (South Africa) – Producer: Seregeo Kirby and Director: Zahra Moloo

DOCUMENTARY SERIES

Beyond Fela (formerly The Darker Side of Afrobeats) (Nigeria) – Producer: Aderonke Adeola, Temitayo Ayorinde and Director: Aderonke Adeola

Included in the 2023 selection are 8 animation projects which were announced earlier this year and 3 projects from the emerging filmmaker programme DFM Access currently taking place.

Ahead of the Pitch and Finance Forum, the 2023 DFM projects will benefit from the guidance of esteemed film producers and professionals. Among the mentors for the fiction projects are Kethiwe Ngcobo (South Africa), filmmaker and award-winning television producer, who previously served as the Head of Drama at SABC’s Content Hub. Also lending their expertise is Femi Odugbemi (Nigeria), the Academy Director of the Multichoice Talent Factory and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Meanwhile, the documentary projects will benefit from the mentorship of Bridget Pickering (Namibia), a filmmaker and award-winning producer whose work includes Whispering Truth to Power, which was honoured with the Special Jury Prize at the Hot Docs Film Festival. Joining her is Amel Bouzid (Belgium), an associate producer of Lágy eső by Denes Nagy, which premiered at La Quinzaine in Cannes. Themba Bhebhe, (United Kingdom), who holds the position of Head of Diversity & Inclusion at the European Film Market (Berlinale) and is also one of the pioneering members of the Programmers of Colour Collective (POC2), will be offering his mentorship to both fiction and documentary projects.

The Pitch and Finance Forum is one element of the Durban FilmMart programme taking place in-person from 21 – 24 July 2023. Delegates can also attend the Industry Programme made up of masterclasses, panel discussions and round tables featuring some of Africa’s best filmmakers and professionals. 

Early Bird registration for participation is now open until the end of June.

Visit https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/ to review the options.

The Durban FilmMart Institute receives principal funding from the Durban Film Office and the eThekwini Municipality.

For Further questions: info@durbanfilmmart.com